Adventure Island is divided into eight areas of four rounds each. You must beat the boss at the end of every fourth round to clear an area. If you beat the eighth and final boss, you will win the game.

• Rounds
  Each round contains many enemies who will stop at nothing to defeat Master Higgins. Avoid these enemies as you travel, and don’t forget to grab fruit to replenish your vitality. Master Higgins starts the game with nothing to his name, but can find helpful items such as stone axes and skateboards inside of eggs. Eggs can be opened with the stone axe or by running into them. Be careful! Some eggs contain Master Higgins’ least-favourite food...aubergine!
• Vitality
  Vitality decreases over time and whenever you strike an obstacle. You can also lose all of your vitality at once if you run into an enemy, strike a certain kind of obstacle, or fall off a cliff. If you lose all your vitality, you will continue from the beginning of the segment where you fell. Each round is marked with numbered signs that indicate the segments. If you run out of lives, your game will end.
  
• Your Score
  When you clear a round, your remaining vitality will be added to your score as a bonus. If you find a pot during a round, this bonus score will be doubled. For every 50,000 points, you’ll earn an extra life. You get points for the fruit you collect along the way.